Painting Contractor Sentenced in Bidding Scheme

U.S. Attorney’s Office
January 16, 2013

Western District of Pennsylvania

PITTSBURGH—A resident of Allegheny County has been sentenced in federal court to five months’ imprisonment and five months home detention with electronic monitoring, to be followed by three years’ supervised release, on his conviction of theft from a program receiving federal funds, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today. He was also ordered to pay restitution to the West Mifflin Area School District in the amount of $94,439.

United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Ralph D. Imbrogno, 65, of 610 Oberdick Drive, McKeesport, Pennsylvania.

According to information presented to the court, from May 2008 through March 2010, Imbrogno aided and abetted Patrick Risha, the superintendent of the West Mifflin Area School District, in defrauding the school district and misapplying a total of $94,439 in district funds. The fraud was committed in connection with the school district’s awarding of 10 painting contracts to Imgrogno’s son’s painting company, Imbrogno Painting. Imbrogno aided Risha in defrauding the school district by producing false bid proposals from painting contractors for the contracts requiring a competitive bidding process.

Imbrogno previously pled guilty to one count of aiding Risha in the fraud with respect to a contract in the amount of $9,995, issued to Imbrogno Painting for the painting of a portion of the interior of Emerson Elementary School. Imbrogno Painting was paid for such services by check issued on October 21, 2009, from the West Mifflin Area School District “General Fund” account. The West Mifflin Area School District was the recipient of in excess of $1,000,000 of federal monies from the United States Department of Education during the 12-month period, including October 21, 2009.

Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Imbrogno.